Athletics latest stadium proposal strikes out

Sports Xchange - Thursday 7th December, 2017

The Oakland Athletics' latest bid for a new stadium has apparently struck out -- without even getting to the plate.

After announcing they had picked a "preferred site" for a new privately financed stadium, the Athletics were informed by the Peralta Community College District that it is not even interested in discussing it.

"At a closed-session meeting Tuesday, the board of trustees of the Peralta Community College District -- whose offices stand where the ballpark would go -- directed Chancellor Jowel Laguerre to discontinue plans in the works with the team," according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Athletics were looking at the 13-acre plot of land near Laney College that was close to downtown Oakland. The team hoped to move from the Coliseum to the new site by 2023, with a proposal including a $500 million, 34,000-seat stadium as well as retail and affordable housing.

"We are shocked by Peralta's decision to not move forward," the Athletics said in a statement Wednesday. "All we wanted to do was enter into a conversation about how to make this work for all of Oakland, Laney, and the Peralta Community College District. We are disappointed that we will not have that opportunity."

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred was also shocked about the lack of an opportunity for dialogue.

"We applaud the efforts by the Oakland A's over the last year to engage the community in an open dialogue about their new ballpark," Manfred said in a statement. "Today's news comes as a surprise and we urge Oakland leaders to rejoin the conversation."

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